Training Course

Application of New Technologies in Disaster Management Simulation

3-6 January 2015, Tehran, Iran

COURSE ORGANIZAERS

Disaster and Emergency Health (DEH) Academy is based in I.R.Iran’s National Institute of Health Research and School of Public Health of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. DEH Academy is a pioneer research and training center in the MENA region that offers MPH with disaster concentration (since 2006), and PhD in health disaster management (since 2011). These programs are offered in English and accept international students. The academy is a partner of International Committee of Red Cross for organizing the HELP training course in Iran. DEH Academy is non-UN member of United Nations Disaster Management Team in I.R.Iran, and has extensive international collaborations with credible academia such as Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Yale University, and Università del Piemonte Orientale, Italy. DEH Academy is a main technical partner of Iran’s health system where it has integrated disaster risk reduction to primary health care system, and institutionalized a metrics system for disaster risk management.

CRIMEDIM is the Research Centre in Emergency and Disaster Medicine and Computer Science applied to Medical Practice, based in Università del Piemonte Orientale, Italy. CRIMEDIM aims at promoting and fostering research and education in emergency and disaster medicine with particular interest in the application of new informatics technologies.

The Centre, in collaboration with the Free University of Brussels, the Geneva University, the Linköping and the University of California Irvine, delivers the European Master in Disaster Medicine. The Centre, or its members, collaborated in educational programmes with national and international agencies, such as World Health Organization, Country Office in Albania and United Nation Medical Emergency Response Team. CRIMEDIM research projects include I-SEE  (Interactive Simulation Exercise for Emergencies), eDISTRICT-CiPro (European Distance Training Interactive and Collaborative Tools for the Civil Protection), and DSS (Disaster Simulation Suite).

BACKGROUND

To respond effectively to the impact of disasters it is necessary to have a well prepared health and medical system. Plans, procedures, organization, manpower and equipment are key requirements of preparedness, however they must be tested frequently so that they can be evaluated, adapted, and updated before and after an actual event.

Simulation exercises are the most useful tools for evaluating and testing the preparedness elements; they are also excellent tools for training. Simulating similar situation to real events is strenuous and sometimes beyond the bounds of possibility. However, new technologies help disaster management system to over the obstacles and provide a virtual reality environment for first responders to act and test their knowledge, skill, procedures and plans. Currently, different simulators and software are available and using by research and training centers, in the subject of disaster management, worldwide especially in European countries and Americans. However, these technologies should be more used in disastrous and vulnerable developing countries.

TRAINING OBJECTIVES

• To provide the conceptual framework and methodological aspects of virtual reality simulations, and to the identify skills and abilities that are necessary to carry them out
• To design, development, and evaluation of virtual reality simulations for emergencies and disasters
• To provide practical IT tools for evaluation of exercises and virtual reality simulations
• To present good practices in medical management of real disasters, exercises, and virtual reality simulations.

ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION

• Experts in disaster health and medicine
• Basic knowledge and skill in using windows based programs and software
• English language skills (understanding and speaking)
• Participants are required to bring their own Windows Based Laptop (with Windows XP and later) to the course along with a USB mouse. No Mac or Linux-based laptops.

LANGAUGE

English is the course language.

COURSE FACULTY

Ali Ardalan, MD, PhD

Associate professor and Chair, Disaster and Emergency Health Academy of Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Visiting Scientist and Senior Fellow, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard School of Public Health

Luca Carenzo, MD

Researcher and lecturer in virtual reality disaster simulations, CRIMEDIM- Research Centre in Emergency and Disaster Medicine and Computer Science applied to Medical Practice, Italy

Ahmadreza Djalali, MD, PhD

Researcher and lecturer in disaster medicine and CBRN emergencies, CRIMEDIM- Research Centre in Emergency and Disaster Medicine and Computer Science applied to Medical Practice, Italy

Pier Luigi Ingrassia, MD, PhD

Anaesthesiologist, Researcher and lecturer in virtual reality disaster simulations, CRIMEDIM- Research Centre in Emergency and Disaster Medicine and Computer Science applied to Medical Practice, Italy

Luca Ragazzoni, MD

Anaesthesiologist, Researcher and lecturer in virtual reality disaster simulations, CRIMEDIM- Research Centre in Emergency and Disaster Medicine and Computer Science applied to Medical Practice, Italy

Fee

including registration, meal, and workshop materials is:

• International applicants: 300 USD (on-site payment)
• Iranian applicants: 750 thousands Toman.

Registration Deadline

Please register by 10 Dec 2014

Contact Information

Contact (98 21) 88 99 11 06 to book a seat, and ask for payment process. There will be 20% discount for disaster MPH and PhD students, and MOH staff.

Email for further info: aardalan@tums.ac.ir

Venue: Poorsina Ave, Tehran University of Medical Sciences